The Wind: Sequel to Leaving
by Brianna Aisling
Summary: My sequel to Leaving. I like it. It is happy and sweet. (You know, for someone with my sick sense of humor, I'm a hopeless romantic.)


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- - - - -  
  
The Wind: Sequel to Leaving  
  
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(Warm air flowed around them, lifting her skirt, wrinkling his shirt. He walked beside her, closer than he had ever dared before. There was no need to watch appearances. She was his. Finally. Ranma smiled to himself and caught her fingers with his when her hand brushed past his. Akane turned her head and smiled up at him.)  
  
- - -  
  
Ukyo clenched her jaw. She struggled to keep her hands from her weapon. If the metal of the handled cooled her palms, there would be no more control for her. She glared at everyone in the room.  
  
"He. Owes. Me," she ground out. Ranma nodded in agreement.  
  
"I do. I don't deny that, but I don't see how you can expect me to abandon Akane and my child."  
  
"There shouldn't be a child!"  
  
Ranma didn't answer. What could he say? Ukyo glared at Akane.  
  
"How did it happen?" She blamed Akane. It surprised her when Ranma blushed and answered.  
  
"I was having nightmares. Ones where she was dead. I was afraid that she was."  
  
"So you slept with her to reassure yourself? That's pathetic."  
  
Neither Ranma nor Akane answered. Akane stared down at her hands. Ukyo hated her. Akane had seduced Ranma. She had used his fear to get pregnant. Ukyo's hand clenched into fists.  
  
"You slut. You seduced him. You just want to trap him into marriage."  
  
Akane put her hand on Ranma's arm. She didn't bother to look at him; she knew he was angry.  
  
"I want to trap him into marriage?" she asked. "You're the one who keeps going on about how he owes you. How can you accuse me of trapping him? I am perfectly capable of raising this child on my own. He's staying because he wants to, Ukyo."  
  
Ukyo snarled and rose to her feet. "So, then raise it on your own. Why should I give up my life for one night?"  
  
"It wasn't one night, Ukyo." He said it so softly that she almost missed it. She wanted to pretend that she didn't hear it, but his mother had heard.  
  
"How many nights was it, Ranma?"  
  
Ranma shifted uncomfortable. Akane slid her hand down his arm and into his hand. He gripped it like a lifeline.  
  
"Almost every night since the wedding."  
  
Everyone in the room froze. Nodoka's eyes widened.  
  
"Every night?"  
  
Akane nodded, her cheeks flushed. Ukyo fell to her knees. One night she could deny, so many nights she couldn't. Nabiki grabbed Kasumi's arm.  
  
"Did anyone know about this?" she asked. Everyone shook their heads. She raised an eyebrow and then broke out into a smile.  
  
"Way to go, Ranma."  
  
He blushed and looked down at Akane's hand in his.  
  
"Way. To. Go. Ranma? What about me? I was promised a fiancée. I am owed ten years of my life and a dowry."  
  
"Ukyo. Calm yourself. We are not saying that we won't pay our debt; we are only saying that it will not be paid with a wedding."  
  
Ukyo glared at Nodoka. She opened her mouth to retort, but Ranma's soft voice stopped her.  
  
"Mom?"  
  
"Yes, Ranma?"  
  
"Why did you engage me to Ukyo?"  
  
Nodoka frowned at her son confused. "Well, I saw you at her restaurant. I assumed that you went there and talked to her. I figured that you didn't mind the engagement to Ukyo."  
  
"Did you tell her that?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Ranma nodded and turned to look at Ukyo. "Did you tell Mom that I wasn't talking to you? Or did you let her think the wrong thing?"  
  
Ukyo lowered her eyes to the floor.  
  
"Do you realize that if I had married you and found out about my child with Akane, I would have left you?"  
  
Ukyo refused to look up. She grit her teeth. She hated them all. She had wasted so much time on him. She stood, her hands fisted by her sides.  
  
"You're going to marry her?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Do you love her?"  
  
There was a moment of silence. Ukyo looked up, hope blooming in her heart. She froze at the sight in front of her. Ranma was looking at Akane. She was looking up at him. A small smile curved her lips. He seemed to be mesmerized by her. Their hands were twisted together, creating a bond Ukyo doubted anyone could break.  
  
Kasumi glanced at Ukyo. The girl looked heartbroken. She pitied Ukyo, but her joy for Ranma and Akane couldn't be dampened. They had come so close to being drowned by the denial neither one had been willing to let go of, and now they had found each other. Kasumi looked down at Nabiki, who was still clutching to her arm.  
  
"Nabiki? Are you all right?" Her little sister had tears in her eyes.  
  
"I've been worried for them, Kasumi. I was scared that one or both of them would try to commit suicide. I was afraid we'd have a real modern day Romeo and Juliet."  
  
Kasumi chuckled. It was easy to laugh now that the pain that had once smothered the Tendo home had evaporated. Kasumi looked over at her father. He sat smiling at his daughter and her future husband. He was crying, but the tears were silent for once. He looked over at Kasumi, and she smiled at him. Genma was puffed up with pride. He believed he was the cause of the couple's relief. Nodoka stared at her son. He was happy. Finally, he was happy. He was holding the woman who was the mother of his child, and would be the mother of the rest of his children, and he looked as if he had found Heaven.  
  
- - -  
  
(The warm breeze spun around the couple. It toyed with the ends of black-blue hair, lifting it and pushing it around soft, pink cheeks. Rough fingers came up and brushed at the tendrils of silk, pushing them back, away from the face lifted to his inspection.)  
  
(Ranma smiled down at her, stroking her cheek. Change in his life did not happen gradually. There was always one explosive moment when his life changed forever. Few of them he was grateful for. His father wanting to take him away before he married was one. It was the one he was the most grateful for. It led him to this moment. This moment with Akane. The moment he could touch her and know that his child was forming inside her. The moment he could let the wonder he felt, the awe, show. He had lived his life for this moment, and the ones like it that would follow.)  
  
- - -  
  
"She's smiling."  
  
"So is he."  
  
"They're holding hands."  
  
"What the hell happened between them?"  
  
The whispers were almost silent, but together they created a small hum that could not go unnoticed. Nabiki walked with them. She swung her bag back and forth. Her grin became shark-like at the sight of the crowds.  
  
"You're going to have trouble with them," she said. Ranma pulled Akane closer to him. He ran his eyes over the crowd and sighed.  
  
"We always do."  
  
"What can I tell them?"  
  
Akane laughed at her sister. "Asking permission, Nabiki? I never thought I'd hear that."  
  
"Oh, shut up. I wanna make money off of this, but I don't want to hurt you guys. I think that perhaps you've had enough pain for now."  
  
Akane cocked her head at her sister and gave her a silent thank you. Ranma just looked at her, as if truly seeing her.  
  
"Tell them what they want to know. Just charge them a good chunk of money regarding the kid. Oh, but nothing about our sex life. That's none of their business."  
  
"Can I tell them how long?"  
  
"Just that."  
  
"Got it." She disappeared into the crowd. Within seconds, hands were being raised fisted around large amounts of money.  
  
- - -  
  
(A page of newspaper swirled on the ground before them. It spun lazily in a circle, one corner dragging on the ground. It lifted suddenly and drifted into a tanned leg. It wrapped around it, covering it like a stocking. Then, just before it was lifted again to blow away, a feminine hand reached down and pulled it free. A second hand joined the first and held the paper taut. A picture of two young people smiled out at the owner of the hands. A man's hand reached out and ran a finger over the woman's figure. Bold print at the top of the page announced the wedding of Tendo Akane and Saotome Ranma.)  
  
- - -  
  
Akane sat at a lunch table. She leaned forward on her elbows, her hands cupping her chin. She watched Ranma make his way through the lunch line, their lunch trays balanced perfectly. She didn't notice Sayuri or Yuka come up and sit beside her. She didn't hear them call her name. It wasn't until she felt something poking her ribs that her attention was drawn away from her lover. Her eyes drifted over to her friends. The small smile that had adorned her face widened.  
  
"Hi," she said. Sayuri and Yuka smiled back.  
  
"Hey. Are you really pregnant?"  
  
Akane laughed light-heartedly. Her friends looked at her stunned. It had been such a long time since they'd heard her laugh like that.  
  
"Yes," she answered finally. "I am." Everyone near them had quieted to listen to their conversation.  
  
"Is it Ranma's?"  
  
"Of course it is," she said indignantly.  
  
"Are you two going to get married?"  
  
"In about a week," Ranma said as he slid a tray before Akane. She smiled up at him and he leaned down to kiss her softly before sitting across from her. Akane's friends blinked and then grinned wildly.  
  
"I can't believe you two finally got together. We've been waiting for this since you two met."  
  
Ranma looked over at them and laughed. "So have we."  
  
Hiroshi and Disuke plopped down beside Ranma. "So have we what?" Hiroshi asked. Ranma grinned at them.  
  
"Akane and I have been waiting to get married."  
  
His friends' eyes widened.  
  
"You're getting married? When?"  
  
"In about a week. All four of you are invited."  
  
Hiroshi and Disuke locked eyes with Sayuri and Yuka. They were astonished by this change. They had known what it would take to get them to return to their old selves but they had not expected a child.  
  
"Hey, Ranma, can I ask you a question?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Was the only way for you two to get married was if Akane got pregnant?"  
  
"It was the safest way. The least contestable way," he answered. His eyes darkened slightly.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean that Shampoo and Ukyo won't attack her if she's pregnant. They can't argue that their claim is more valid." Akane smiled at Ranma and he at her. They didn't reach out and touch each other. They didn't need to.  
  
- - -  
  
(Rain spotted the ground, circles of dark on pale concrete. It fell gently, wetting the ground and watering the earth. A young man lifted his face to it, letting the cool drops stain his hair red. The woman beside him smiled softly and took her hand. A breeze flitted through the air, pushing the rain sideways and warming the cool air. Akane laughed as Ranma sighed. She smiled up at her wife and slid an arm around her waist, both comfortable despite the curse.)  
  
- - -  
  
Shampoo bounced to the top of the walls that surrounded Furinkan High School as her eyes searched the crowds of students for her airen. She found him, currently a her, sitting beneath a tree. To Shampoo's dismay, she sat with Akane. The blue haired girl was laughing at something the redhead had said. Shampoo sighed and shifted the weight of her carryout box to her other hand and leapt from the wall.  
  
"Nihoa, Ranma!" she cried. Ranma frowned up at her.  
  
"Shampoo."  
  
The Amazon curled herself next to her, trying for as much body contact as possible. Ranma frowned and pushed her away. Akane glared at her. Shampoo grinned and struck a pose.  
  
"Violent girl jealous?"  
  
"Oh, yes, Shampoo. I am extremely jealous." She tossed her hair and smiled at Shampoo. Ranma groaned and reached out to touch Akane's arm.  
  
"Don't provoke her, Akane."  
  
Akane huffed and crossed her arms, looking away from Ranma. Ranma sighed and stood.  
  
"Shampoo, I have to talk to you."  
  
"Then talk. Shampoo listen." Ranma looked as if she wanted to say something else and then she shrugged.  
  
"Okay. Here goes. I'm not marrying you. I'm gonna marry Akane."  
  
Shampoo sucked in a breath. "What?"  
  
"I said—"  
  
"Shampoo heard what airen say. What he mean?"  
  
"It's not that hard to figure out, Shampoo. He isn't going to marry you."  
  
Shampoo rounded on Akane, her face twisted into a snarl.  
  
"You I kill!" she shouted as she lunged. Ranma jumped between them. Shampoo sent them both sprawling to the ground.  
  
"Get off," the Amazon growled. Ranma shook her head and pinned the girl to the ground.  
  
"You can't attack Akane, Shampoo. She's pregnant." Shampoo froze in her struggle.  
  
"What?"  
  
"She's pregnant with my child. You can't attack her."  
  
Shampoo's chest heaved with an unvoiced sob. She closed her eyes and let her head fall back against the ground. Ranma climbed off of her and stood next to Akane. After a moment, Shampoo stood.  
  
"Child is wanted, yes?"  
  
"Very much," Ranma said as she stretched out her hand to take Akane's. Shampoo nodded and turned to leave. Akane's voice paused her in mid-step.  
  
"Shampoo? I'm sorry."  
  
"What for?"  
  
"For being…mean. I, uh, should have just kept my mouth shut."  
  
Shampoo nodded and continued back to the Nekohanten. Mousse was waiting for her. She pushed past him and went to her room. A moment later Cologne knocked on her door.  
  
"Great-granddaughter, what is the matter?" Shampoo sighed and rolled over onto her back. She wiped tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand.  
  
"Shampoo failed. She no can marry Ranma now."  
  
"Why do you say that, child?"  
  
"Ranma get Akane pregnant. He must marry her."  
  
Cologne stared at Shampoo shocked.  
  
"I see. Do you wish to return to China, Shampoo?"  
  
"Yes," she whispered before her sobs robbed her of her voice.  
  
- - -  
  
(The smell of freshly cooked food wafted past Ranma, and he grabbed Akane's hand. He led her to a restaurant. Her laughter bubbled inside the small building. He held out her chair for her, giving her his arm to help her lower herself into the seat. Her swollen stomach brushed against the edge of the table. She smiled at him, and he bent and kissed her. Before he stood, his hand lingered over her stomach, as it always did.)  
  
- - -  
  
"Where am I now?" Ryoga cried angrily. "Ranma, this is all your fault!" He couldn't see anything. It was night now and he had no idea where he was. He paid no mind to the fact that light would not have helped him.  
  
"I don't think so, Ryoga. I mean how am I really to blame for your wandering? I live in the same place now." Ryoga spun and glared at the cocky martial artist. Ranma stood in the doorway to the dojo and grinned at him. Before Ryoga could attack, Ranma sent him into the pond. He squatted on a rock and held up the pig by his bandanna.  
  
"Hey, Ryoga, I'm gonna tell you something and I want you to listen. I don't—" Ranma was cut off by Akane's soft voice calling to him.  
  
"Ranma? Are you coming to bed?"  
  
"Yeah. I'll be there in a second, Akane."  
  
Ryoga squealed as loud as he could. Akane walked over to Ranma and pulled P-Chan from his grasp.  
  
"Oh, baby, here you are. I've been so worried." She hugged him and headed back into the house. She paused in the doorway and peered back over her shoulder with a look that made Ranma sweat.  
  
"Time for bed, Ranma."  
  
He swallowed hard and followed her, watching her hips beneath their pajama bottoms. Ryoga watched Ranma over Akane's shoulder, glaring angrily at him. He was shocked when Ranma did not break away to go to his own room, but instead followed Akane into hers. Akane dropped Ryoga to the ground and spun to face Ranma. He watched her breasts sway back and forth. She giggled.  
  
"Honestly, Ranma. You are such a pervert."  
  
Ranma growled at her. "Yeah, well, when you look like that—"  
  
An angry squeal broke their concentration. Ryoga launched himself at Ranma, desperate to stop what he was seeing. Akane frowned and reached out to pry P-Chan from her husband's arm.  
  
"P-Chan, honey, you know I love you, but Ranma and I are married now. You can't attack him."  
  
Ryoga looked up at Akane, his eyes large and watering. 'No,' he thought. 'No. This can't be.' Ranma sighed.  
  
"Akane…."  
  
"Don't worry about it, Ranma. I don't think I could do it with him in the room anyway. That'd be really weird."  
  
Ranma shuddered at the thought of Ryoga watching him and Akane have sex. Then, he shuddered at the thought of what Ryoga was going to do to him once got hold of some hot water.  
  
"Let me take care of him, Akane. I'll put him someplace safe."  
  
"Thanks, Ranma." She leaned up and kissed him. Ranma took P-Chan by his bandanna and headed to the laundry room.  
  
"Ryoga, man, I tried to tell you. Akane and I got married a coupla days ago. Just so you know, I married her because I love her," he paused and took a deep breath. He stared at Ryoga trying to get him to understand the seriousness of what he was going to say, "and she's pregnant."  
  
Ryoga stared up at Ranma as tears streamed down his face. He wanted to blame Ranma, to scream about how he didn't love Akane as Ryoga himself did, to call Ranma a liar, but he could see it in Ranma's face. Ranma was telling the truth. Akane was his wife, and she was pregnant. If he had ever had a chance, he didn't have one now. Ranma set him down on the ground and Ryoga's head hung down.  
  
"Ryoga, I think that maybe P-Chan should run away tomorrow."  
  
Ryoga nodded and sniffed. It came out as a snort in his cursed form and he braced himself for Ranma's laughter. There was none and Ryoga looked up to see Ranma looked down at him sadly.  
  
"I'm really sorry you found out that way. I just--I don't think around her, ya know. She's like a drug." With that, Ranma closed the door to the laundry room, leaving Ryoga to curl up and cry himself to sleep.  
  
- - -  
  
(Rock a bye, baby, in the treetops.)  
  
(When the wind blows the cradle will rock.)  
  
(When the bough breaks the cradle will fall,)  
  
(And down will come baby, cradle and all.)  
  
- - -  
  
Ukyo stared down at the tiny child in Ranma's arms. She reached out and touched the child's tiny tuffs of black hair.  
  
"She's adorable, Ranma."  
  
"Thanks. Um, Ucchan, I had an idea about how we could pay you back. It's kinda unusual, but I want you to consider it."  
  
"What did you have in mind?" she asked as she led him into her restaurant. Ranma sat at his usual place and set his daughter on the counter. He made faces at her as he talked.  
  
"I was thinking that you could train her in the Okonomiyaki art. Like your dad did you. The only thing is you couldn't leave till she was older, like until she was ten or so. Akane and I were also thinkin' that when you settled down and had kids of your own, we could arrange a marriage between them."  
  
"Oh, Ranchan, haven't you had enough of arranged engagements?" she asked as she served him up an okonomiyaki.  
  
"It was just an idea," he said, tearing off a small piece and blowing on it. "Here, Chiyo. This is okonomiyaki. Your Aunt Ucchan makes the best." He mashed it so that it was soft enough for her to eat and then fed it to her. Chiyo squealed in delight and waved her hands around. Ranma laughed.  
  
"See, Ucchan. She likes it already."  
  
Ukyo sighed and shook her head. "I'll think about it. I'm not arranging my kid's marriages though. I've had enough of that."  
  
"All right."  
  
"Say, Ranchan, where's Akane?"  
  
"At home. She needed a day off, so I gave it to her."  
  
"Ah. Having kids is hard work, huh?"  
  
"Yeah, but its worth it when I see her smile."  
  
Chiyo squealed and grabbed at Ranma's bite of food.  
  
"Okay, okay. Jeez. I'll feed you, hold on." He tore off another small piece and fed her as he had before. Ukyo watched him, a wistful smile on her face. She wanted children. Still, being an aunt was okay.  
  
"Hey, Ranchan, if you and Akane want a day to yourselves, I'd be glad to take her."  
  
"That'd be great, Ucchan. I'll let Akane know. She's going to be thrilled. Hey, how's Ryoga?"  
  
Ukyo smiled broadly. "He's good. Lost, but good. I got him a cell phone, so I talk to him every night."  
  
"When are you two gonna have little Ucchans of your own?"  
  
"Soon, I hope," she laughed. Ranma smiled at her and then at his little girl. Her blue eyes danced as Ranma made a face at her.  
  
- - -  
  
(A gentle wind blew around them, spinning sakura in wide circles. Chiyo laughed and chased after them. A younger boy chased her, shouting for her to wait. Akane sat beside Ranma, her dark eyes half closed. Ranma held her tight. Warm sunlight made them both glow. Age and parenthood had not dimmed the life that flowed in their veins. Soon, Chiyo would be leaving with Ukyo and their third child would be born. Somehow life had calmed and yet was as busy as ever. Still neither of them complained. In Ranma's mind, God had fixed the problem beautifully.)  
  
- - - - -  
  
- - - - -  
  
End of The Wind: Sequel to Leaving  
  
- - - - -  
  
- - - - -  
  
Companion Pieces:  
  
Leaving  
  
Prequel to Leaving  
  
http://www.goecities.com/frankie_anne 


End file.
